Agriculture Census Highlights

The results of the 2016 Canadian Agriculture Census are out, and reveal both expected, and surprising, results for Canadian farmers.

Agricultural data has been collected in Canada since 1666, and 2016 marks the 22nd Census of Agriculture since Confederation.

While total farm area is down compared to 2011, the area dedicated to cropland rose by 93.4-million acres in 2016. The increase is attributed primarily to a shift in land use, as farmers have converted land formerly used as pasture and other less productive land into productive areas.

Agricultural operations in Canada employed 280,315 people in 2015, and from a trade perspective, agricultural goods account for 2.2% of Canada’s total imports, as well as 4.6% of total exports.

While the average age of Canadian farmers continues to rise, the number of operators under 35 years of age is up for the first time since 1991.